This blog highlights how applications built around DWF can do more than what can be done just using paper. The blog covers the building (architectural/electrical/construction), manufacturing, and infrastructure (e.g., GIS, telecommunications) industries.

July 27, 2006

Orbit versus Turntable

Autodesk DWF Viewer 7.0 and Autodesk Design Review 2007 feature two interactive 3D viewing commands: orbit and turntable. For people old enough to predate compact discs, the word "turntable" conjures up an image of a spinning vinyl record with a diamond needle dragging across its rippled surface producing sound. (It's amazing that ever worked.)

Although some people misbelieve that the turntable command works like the old record player turntable, the differences between turntable and orbit are more subtle than that.

Autodesk discussion group participant, Chris noted:

The Turntable icon is very different than the Orbit icon, so I expected very different behavior. I expected the model to be temporarily "placed" on a turntable and to spin with the vertical axis staying ...well... vertical as the icon shows.

Turntable allows you to spin the model like Orbit but the vertical axis (AutoCAD Z) remains vertical as the model tilts. Shift locks the axis the same way in both. Using an architectural model as an example; With Orbit you can roll the building so the whole model, floor and walls, are tilted - even roll it on it's side with the walls horizontal and the floor vertical. With Turntable you can tilt and spin the building (look around, down from above, up from underneath) but not roll it on it's side. It's a little bit better for building models. The key to get turntable camera to do what you want it to do is to hold the CTRL key down before you start manipulating the camera. The turntable camera locks the Z axis by default. Holding the CTRL key will also lock down the Y axis or the X axis depending on which way you move the mouse. So the CTRL key locks movement to one axis.

Chris concluded:

On a positive note, I very much like the idea of the Turntable command. Non-technical users are likely to want to interact with the 3D file as if it were sitting on their desk. I can tell you that I have seen many users (including myself) get frustrated with the orbit command, because the model keeps turning sideways and upside down as they spin the part with the Orbit tool.

Orbit or Turntable: Both are at your disposal. That should be music to your ears.